These lovely fruity bruschetta remind me of a homemade fruit Danish. Serve with some clotted cream, crème fraîche or ice cream. They can be served as a dessert or as a fun breakfast or brunch — the choice is yours. It’s also a great way to use up slightly overripe fruit.

Ingredients

Quantity

Ingredient

4 slices

sourdough bread, each 1.5 cm thick

80g

butter, plus an extra 4 small knobs

3 tablespoons

soft brown sugar

80ml

brandy

1

vanilla bean, split

2

peaches, stoned and quartered

2

nectarines, stoned and quartered

4

apricots, stoned and halved

Method

Prepare your barbecue for indirect cooking on a high heat, though you’ll be toasting the sourdough on a direct heat.

Toast the sourdough slices over the direct heat of the coals or gas. Butter the toasted bruschetta on both sides and place on a roasting tray.

Combine sugar, brandy, scraped vanilla bean and seeds. Toss in all the fruit and allow to macerate for 10 minutes.

Divide the fruit evenly between the toasted bruschetta and drizzle with the juices. Top with the knobs of butter.

Place the tray between the heat sources for indirect cooking, close the lid and cook for 15 minutes.

When cooked, the fruit should be soft and lightly caramelised, and the edges of the bruschetta crispy. Serve straight away.